Did Pakistan shoot down Indian Rafale jet? Here’s fact-check of viral claims post-Operation Sindoor

New Delhi: In the aftermath of India’s precision military strike under Operation Sindoor, Pakistan has initiated a coordinated disinformation campaign, attempting to manipulate public perception through fabricated claims and misleading digital content.

Social media flooded with fake narratives

Pro-Pakistan social media handles, along with certain political figures, have been actively spreading false claims of military success, including fabricated stories of downed Indian jets and supposed retaliatory strikes.

A viral image claimed that a Rafale jet was shot down near Bahawalpur. However, PIB Fact Check clarified that the image was from a MiG-21 crash in Moga, Punjab, in 2021, unrelated to current events.

Minister endorses false surrender video

Another false claim included a video suggesting the Indian Army surrendered at Chora Post. The narrative was amplified by Pakistan’s Minister Attaullah Tarar, who endorsed the video publicly without any verifiable proof.

A similar piece of misinformation circulated a video alleging a Pakistan Air Force attack on the Srinagar airbase. The government’s fact-checking unit debunked this, tracing the footage back to sectarian clashes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa earlier this year.

Fake strike on Indian base, old crash images reused

Another rumour falsely claimed that Pakistan had destroyed an Indian Brigade Headquarters. Defence sources confirmed that the claim was entirely fabricated.

In addition, a MiG-29 crash image from Barmer, Rajasthan, in September 2024 was reused to portray recent Indian Air Force losses that never occurred.

Khawaja Asif confronted on CNN over fake news

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif was called out during a CNN interview after claiming that five Indian jets were shot down. When asked for evidence, Asif responded, “It’s all over social media,” prompting the anchor to say, “I’m sorry we didn’t ask you here to talk about social media content.”

Asif further claimed that Indian soldiers were taken prisoner — a statement he later retracted following official denials and absence of evidence.

Attempt to hijack regional narrative

The repeated use of old visuals, false attributions, and unverified claims highlights Pakistan’s strategy to confuse the public and shape a false narrative in the wake of India’s successful military operation.

Indian authorities continue to counter the misinformation through official fact-checking and public advisories.